Welcome to My Blog

A multi -faceted look at one Chinese woman's life. including musings about travelling and family life...

Thursday 30 August 2012

Post holiday blues...

It's obvious I need a holiday when I start buying travel guidebooks by the handful.....I went into 'The Works' bookshop today and came out with five books & a Rome dvd at a bargain price. I mean who would pay £17.00 for a book that I paid £1.49 for??      Talking about holidays , we had an amazing time & did lots , went on boat trips , coach trips ...sightseeing , the highlight of the trip had to be .....YES!! I met Kerry Katona!!   On the first day we arrived, we were relaxing by the hotel pool...then I noticed Kerry sitting several sunbeds away. I went to approach her , my partner tried to stop me as he believed she was just her double, I'm so glad he didnt....

Me with Kerry Katona

Ryan & daddy at our hotel pool

Souvenir stalls

On way to Formentor

Magaluf's  famous Western Water Park

Formentor beach

Tip of Formentor

Our hotel pool

Flamenco dancing at our hotel

Sunday 15 July 2012

Gosh - it's been so long...

HI all,

My lateness in updating is unforgivable I know, life has been really happening lately...
I have a new blog - it's a craft blog (www.craftyjen8022.blogspot.co.uk) .. take a wee look when you have time.

Looking back at the last few months I have come through a lot - I overcame pneumonia, thinking back now it is still quite scary...but I feel so much better now.

Going to the garage tomorrow morning to see if the 'dent' that happened when I reversed into a lamp post can be fixed - really wish it hadn't happened!  Am now kicking myself as it is a brand new car - well nearly new. A Chevrolet Spark 1.0+, I actually saved about £2000 because it was a showroom car.  Lovely vehicle, silver. Not my first choice of colour but I fell in love with the style of the car straightaway.

My son is on his summer hols at the moment , he's been staying up with me most nights... can't believe my baby is getting SO big now!  Bought him a scooter today and he loves it.

My Mandarin course has been quite challenging lately - managed to get my 6th assignment done, going to send it through to the Open Uni. online submission system before I go on holiday- not even half ready for it , we are going to Majorca in less than 2 weeks time!!




Monday 28 May 2012

I hate being sick!!

Ever since I had a cold 2 weeks ago I haven't been feeling the most energetic...then last Monday I was having severe pains in my left side, something was wrong - didn't know what -  so my OH rang the out of hours doctor and got me an appointment. It turned out it was caused by a chest infection.  The next night the pains came back & the doctor says it was due to pneumonia (SHOCK HORROR) I have never had chest problems in all my life, and to be told that!!!    Anyway a few days later I got a chest x ray done & the results showed an abscess on my lung....OMG!!     I was so scared , what if it is cancer?  My OH says I'm a hypochrondriac, but during the first few days of the pains in my side I truly believed I was going to die. Lying in bed, I'd never known such pain - in fact it was worse than childbirth.     I cried and cried, because I missed my dad. If he was here he'd make everything alright....reading the book Dear Sebastian, made it even more emotional for me.....

Monday 30 April 2012



I think this is an extremely underrated song, loved Oasis and do still listen to them. Anyone else a fan?
Meeting Noel Gallagher was my ultimate claim to fame!!!

Have you ever wanted to write a book?

I wonder how many of you always wanted to write a book?    I've always loved to write, whether it was updating my diary when I was in my teens or writing to penpals all over the world.    Blurb.com has brought a whole new dimension of possibilities to my writing.   Since September 2009, I have had four books created with them.  They are a 'self-publishing' online company and the way they work is they provide you with basic templates (for anything from photo books to wedding books, even facebook & blog books!) - you have full control of creative content and they just publish it for you.  

Here are the following great benefits of designing a book with blurb.com:

Cover:     Hardcover , Softcover, Image wrap & tons of cover layout options
Paper:     High quality of FSC-certified papers available in matte, lustre or
               gloss finishes
Printing:   Bookstore-quality four colour printing
End sheets :  Standard and pro line sheets to frame your book beautifully
Creative layouts :   Huge range of creative & customizable layouts
Binding:   Durable, professional binding built to last .

Why not visit www.blurb.com now to make your first book?!   You could even create a personalised book as a gift idea for a friend or loved one. 

Here are some photos of the books I have made:




Tuesday 17 April 2012

No excuses...

I am sorry for my lengthy absence from updating this blog.  Life took over the last few months - you know how it is. Hope I can be forgiven?

Well, to start I had a nice Christmas and was hoping for a rather lovely New Year's eve, instead on the 27th December my other half took a choking fit from what we thought was a chest infection/asthma attack. It turned out to be pneumonia and my other half had to be hospitalised for 4 days - what a long four days it was, seemed like an eternity... when he got home I had to care for him , all in all he ended up being absent from work for a month and I had to do all the running about, more than usual...but no complaints, I must say I was glad of the company for a while.
THEN, few weeks later he started coughing again one night - was an asthma attack as a result of his weakened lungs - I was so scared - never seen it happen to anyone before, let alone my loved one.  He took two attacks in the space of 6 days , and twice again it happened after that.  Since then, he's had no further attacks.      It just shows you what is really important in life, I was very scared , never felt so petrified in all my life as I could've lost my partner, my soulmate, my lover, my shoulder to lean on...I am so lucky he is ok.

Now to more recent news, I spent the Easter break up in Portrush this year - ie. the north coast.

We'd booked a family room in a B & B before Christmas of last year, and the four of us, well I , drove up two Sundays ago, up the Antrim Coast Road , took roughly 2 hours as we stopped and got out to stretch our legs etc.  On the way we passed Red Bay, Carnlough, Glenariff, Cushendall, Waterfoot, Ballycastle, etc..right all the way up to Portrush!   Our B & B was facing Barry's which is a famous kid's amusement centre.
We enjoyed ourselves, and must say was a little sad at having to leave, the clean sea air did us a world of good and so did the walking.  My own highlight of the trip has got to be the Mussenden Temple, I've always wanted to go there, dreamed of it , then I came across it by accident on this recent trip - I didn't even realise it was that close (it was in Downhill). The views are spectacular from it, and it was built around 1783 or something like that.  

Mussenden Temple

White Rocks

Dunluce Castle

View from Mussenden Temple (left side)

Approaching Mussenden Temple

Near Dunseverick

In Portrush with Andrew, Ryan & Peter





On 14th April 2012 , it was the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the famous Titanic - which was commemorated in Belfast. I'd managed to get tickets to see the Titanic Quarter (experience) on the first day of it's launch. Would highly recommend it as it is a brand new visitor attraction in Belfast, and although the entrance fee was a little pricey I thought it was well worth it.

Entrance of the Titanic Quarter , Belfast
 
The Titanic Quarter





Replica of the Harland & Wolff crane       


Well, hoped I kept you all entertained for a little while longer, it is fast approaching my bedtime now , so I must shoot, hopefully it won't be too long until my next update!

Ryan sings......